i have both but i live in markarth cause that place is my favorite. they both work good for a mage, the college is cool, kinda out there, not near a lot but thats not a huge problem...i usually wait till level 25 to go to the college in order for the follwers there to be more leveld up, also i wait till level 20 to go to markarth, since i don't think you get the misson to get the house until level 20..so right after level 20 i go to markarth and go directly to the jarl, he sends you on two quests, the second one is to get the sheild and after you bring it back to him he lets you buy the house but you have to wait till level 20 so thats exactly how i do it and its pretty easy to get the house that way.

Oh my god. I wish I had a computer/laptop that could handle Skyrim

I'm currently a Mage and I own Vlindrell Hall and have the Arch-Mage's quarters too. I think Vlindrell looks and feels the Magiest - I wonder what other char would live there?

Too bad you can't rent out homes...I mean, you can own one per hold, so why not rent them out. AND they get a free housecarl for protection! $_$

Though, I have no idea what you would spend the extra income on to be honest. >.<

I would love to see something happen with the damaged building across from the alchemy merchant in lower Whiterun.

Lusty argonian maids, skooma, and bards. Or more real estate to become a mogul, I guess.

Mages college is a great place to set up your base if you need dragon bits for armor or soul collecting. I use my old dorm wardrobe for dragon mat storage, and J'zargo apparently hangs out there when he's not with me.

If your mage is a necromancer, Markarth is really nice. You get a pretty sweet house with storage and all that, but then you can use the "House of Horrors" to store your thrall corpses, it puts the evidence away from your home and it's pretty accessible. >:3